TRUMP SIGNS SPACE TRANSPORTATION POLICY- The White House seeks to enable 1,000 launches and re-entries annually by 2030
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum to increase the number of U.S. commercial space launches, including directing government agencies to look at federal land for new launch and re-entry sites.
As the White House seeks to enable at least 1,000 launches and re-entries annually by 2030, up from 178 launches last year, the memo, called on agencies to incentivize co-development of space transportation infrastructure with private sector partners, expedite permitting and environmental reviews and ensure adequate wireless spectrum for space launches.
There are also plans for NASA to facilitate commercial transportation to the moon and commercial robotic access to Mars, and to explore commercial avenues to send humans to Mars.
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios said the new national space transportation policy “meets this moment of explosive growth and positions America to lead the next era of space.”
President Trump also stated that agencies should refrain from conducting U.S. government space transportation activities “that preclude, discourage, or compete with United States commercial space transportation activities, unless required by public safety or national security.”
Trump wants several cabinet agencies to quickly identify future space launch and re-entry sites on government property and to designate priority airspace for critical space launch corridors. He also wants integration of space transportation activities into air traffic control modernization.
